An Evidence-Based Weekend

Greetings from the North Shore, where it’s quiet and snow lightly covers parts of the land close to the lake. Inland, it’s a different story. There’s lots of snow up there, and the deeper lakes are starting to freeze up. Some of the lakes already have, and diehard wild-lake ice skaters, with ropes and long poles in-hand, are already streaking over the new ice. Winter, as they say, is here.

And with it, the predicted surge of Covid-19. Cook County, like all of Minnesota, is dialing down at midnight on Friday, with many temporary closures through Dec. 18. Here’s a  graphic that explains it:

The announcement to Dial Back was made by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday, and some organizations, who planned things for this weekend, might have changed their schedules. Check to see if the event is still on before venturing out. Many have online components, too, so they can be enjoyed at home.

To find out about what’s happening in Cook County, visit cookcountycovid19.org for the latest information, including community resources, grocery shopping, tips to stay healthy and more.

Meanwhile, there was an interesting headline from The Washington Post today: The coronavirus pandemic is driving U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to their lowest level in three decades. The introduction reads: “Driven largely by a steep drop in air and automobile travel, the 9 percent reduction in 2020 emissions projected by a private research organization would put the nation back on track to meet its commitments under the Paris climate accord, though President Trump has pulled out of the agreement.” To read the entire article, click here.

On the North Shore, Thursday, Nov. 20, is Give to the Max Day in Minnesota. Check out the opportunities to support non-profits during this difficult time, here.

Locally, Empty Bowls, which supports hunger programs to battle food insecurity in Cook County, is largely online this year, but potters from the Grand Marais Art Colony have still made lots of bowls available for purchase.

The deadline to purchase the bowls is today, Thursday, Nov. 19, at noon. To shop online and see examples of all the bowls available , including large serving bowls, click here. Bowls range in price from $15 to $50. The bowls can be picked up at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 3-6 p.m. today. You can also donate to the program here.   Since 2006, Empty Bowls has been the largest annual fundraiser for hunger programs in the county.

Last year, Empty Bowls distributed funds to Birch Grove Community School, Cook County Food Shelf, Cook County Public Health and Human Services, Cook County Ruby’s Pantry, Cook County Schools, Cook County Youth Agency Coalition, Cooperation Station Daycare, Great Expectations School Lunch Program, Oshki Ogimaag Charter School, and the Violence Prevention Center.

This is also the final week of North House Folk School’s Winterer’s Gathering, with lots of online opportunities. The two in-person events, the outdoor screenings of Arctic Shorts and the Intern Portfolio Show have been cancelled. The Intern Portfolio show will go live, online, on Friday at www.northhouse.org

First up is a webinar on the Puffins of North Greenland with  Dr. Jennifer Burnham, a professor of geography at Augustana College and the Director of the Augustana Center for Polar Studies.

Burnham will discuss several intriguing findings from a nearly decade-long study of Atlantic Puffins in far northwest Greenland. To register in advance, click here. Free.

The third and final film in this year’s online Arctic Film Festival, “This Arctic Life,” is now available for viewing and will be through noon on Friday, Nov. 20.

This Mountain Life – Trailer from Peg Leg Films on Vimeo.

There will be Q&A discussion with Martina and Tania via Zoom at noon on Friday. Register for free here.

North House has cancelled the very popular Great Gear and Ski Swap on Saturday, and the Intern Portfolio Show due to Covid concerns. The Portfolio show will be posted Friday on www.northhouse.org.

Click here for more info.

And finally, the annual Cold Snap Poetry Slam will be held online starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. The Zoom event is open to all. To register as an audience member, click here. Presenters can sign up here.

Also this weekend, WTIP’s The Roadhouse will present two musicians, Sam Miltich of the Clearwater Hot Club  and Duluth singer/songwriter Cory Coffman. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m. on Fridays.

Here’s a video of Sam produced by MN Original.

And a video of Corey  Coffman:

 Exhibits:

David Johnson‘s exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post, “Cook County Through My Eyes, Vol. II” continues through the end of the month. The exhibit features a wide variety of landscape and wildlife photographs.

The exhibit can also be viewed online. Click here to see, and purchase if interested.

The Tweed Museum of Art on the UMD campus is exhibiting work by a handful of area artists responding to the realities of creating art in the age of a global pandemic. Entitled “Creating Apart: Local Artists Respond to a Global Pandemic,” the exhibit, curated by Ann Dugan, features work by Ivy Vainio, Moira Villiard, Sarah Brokke, and Karen Savage Blue. The exhibit also includes a documentary by local filmmaker Mike Scholtz.

 Here’s a link to the video with Karen, who talks about what inspired her to create Medicine Bear:

The Nordic Center of Duluth will open the 9^th Annual Pepperkakebyen Gingerbread City display in the windows of the Nordic Center, 23 N. Lake Ave. in Duluth.

The gingerbread houses will also be exhibited online starting on Friday. To see, click here.

FYI:

Help for Artists: The Springboard for the Arts Personal Emergency Relief Fund is now open for applications until Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. Their program offers artists and creative workers of all disciplines in Minnesota support of $500 in an emergency.  Visit their website to learn more and apply: https://springboardforthearts.org/…/personal-emergency…/

Do you have a favorite Ole and Lena joke? WTIP Community Radio wants to hear it or a holiday memory from the North Shore or the Gunflint Trail to air on Oh Ole Night: The Radio Special. The event, which will be aired from 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 27, should be fun. The annual Christmas parade has been replaced by this fun holiday special on WTIP.

Call the WTIP listener line with your joke or memory at 218-353-1033. It’s radio, remember, so keep it clean!
Breaking News: The First Congregational church is cancelling its Community Thanksgiving dinner due to Covid-19 concerns. The church had originally decided to provide a curbside-takeout meal, but the logistics of preparing it and putting the meals together for takeout is considered too risky at this time, given the community spread of the virus.

Virtual Dance Performances

The famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater announced a free virtual season of works slated for this December.

For more information about the upcoming season and schedule, visit the Ailey All Access platform at www.AlvinAiley.org.

Reading:

Here’s a great story about artist ChesleyAntoinette’s work with the Tignon. She gave a presentation at the Duluth Art Institute this year.

The title of the article is: Chesley Antoinette’s Lush Depictions of Turbaned Creole Women Continue the Conversation About Race:The Tignon — and the Defiance It Inspired — Is at the Heart of the Artist’s Current Exhibition. To read about it and see photographs, click here.

 Artists at Work:

 

 

A Few Music Videos:

Live Music:

• Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m., For reservations, click here, or call (218) 481-9280.

Photographs:

Here is a selection of what we found this week:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some beauteous landscapes and skyscapes and waterscapes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally:

Have a great weekend, everyone. Be safe!

Please support this volunteer effort to keep you informed about the art and happenings on the North Shore. Just click on the icon below. You can also choose to become a sustainer, donating a little each month. And thank you!